That Fateful Night
by aapierce
Summary: Devynn, a quiet and reserved but polite young woman has a run in with some old high school classmates and everything get twisted topsy turvy! Before she can figure out what happened she's become the prisoner/housemaiden of Sephiroth and his brothers!
1. Chapter 1

**That Fateful Night**

**Chapter 1:**

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Final Fantasy. Devynn, Victoria and Zachary, however, are 100% mine.<p>

Rate M for future content

* * *

><p>Devynn sat in a booth in the upper level of the local club. She stared down at the dance floor, watching for her life long friend, Ariel. It was Devynn's twenty first birthday and Ariel had promised to take her out for dinner and dancing to celebrate.<p>

As Devynn sat there, a flash out of the corner of her eye pulled her attention away from the dance floor. Looking across the table, she sighed inwardly at the sight of the tall, gangly man sitting there, smirking and holding a camera. As much as Devynn wished, this man was no stranger. It was Zachary, her high school lab partner. Devynn never really had a problem with Zachary being her lab partner; it was when they graduated four years ago and he kept following her around that she started to get a tad annoyed. Even though Zachary was two years older than her, his mental state was still going through puberty.

Devynn looked at him dryly. "What do you want, Zachary?" She didn't even bother trying to hide her distaste for him.

"What's wrong?" Zachary chided. "Can't I wish a happy birthday to my favorite lab partner?"

"It's been four years. We're not lab partners anymore. We've graduated...and I don't have any notes for you to copy anymore. I've even been through college already. I mean, really, Zack, move on." It was then that a realization struck Devynn, and it struck her hard. If Zachary was there, then so was…

As if on cue, a huff sounded from over Devynn's shoulder, audible even over the blaring music that pounded through the club. Turning, she confirmed her suspicions. Matching her height, only thanks to her four inch heels, was Devynn's most powerful source of annoyance and aggravation; Victoria.

Victoria glared at Devynn then pouted at Zachary. "Zacky, baby buns," she said in her high, whiny voice, "I'm gone to the bathroom for thirty seconds and your off chasing…this." There was no mistaking the hatred and disgust as Victoria raked her eyes over Devynn's casually clothed body.

_Oh yes_, Devynn thought to herself, _how dare my middle-class job, and self-worthy self contaminate the presence of the great and almighty Victoria._

Zachary looked up at Victoria. "Tory, you were in there for twenty minutes."

Victoria huffed and stomped her foot in a very child like manner. Devynn threw her hands up in surrender. "He's all yours, V, I'm going home."

Victoria gleamed as though she'd just emerged victorious from some gruesome battle. Devynn slid out of the seat and tucked her jacket under her arm. She trotted down the stairs and out to the street, nodding to the bouncer by the door on her way out.

The cold wind filled her lungs, sucking her breath away. She shivered and tugged on her coat. Pulling the cell phone from her jeans pocket, she flipped it open. At the top of the contacts lists, she highlighted Ariel's name and typed a message. _Hey. Been over an hour. Going home. _Devynn snapped the phone shut and returned it to her pocket.

About a block from the club, Devynn felt a chill crawl down her spine. She became more aware as she walked and it wasn't long before she heard the footsteps behind her. Knowing better than to look, Devynn glanced at the reflection in the dark windshield of a car parked by the sidewalk. There were two people following her. One was much taller than the other and had their head ducked down, to hide their face.

Devynn swallowed and turned the next corner. Maybe she was imagining it. Maybe she was just paranoid. She always got freaked out when she was walking alone in the dark. Devynn ran a few steps, hoping to put some distance between her and the others. She slowed to a walk again before they could see that she was running. Devynn kept watching the windshields and shop windows. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

Just as Devynn laughed at herself, her breath caught. The two people rounded the corner, running. Devynn stopped. They stopped. Devynn didn't move for a while as she watched the reflection and pulled out her phone pretending to type a message. Her heart pounding, Devynn took quick, long strides and ducked into an alley.

She stood just inside the corner and put her phone away. She heard the pounding of hard shoes on the concrete. She readied herself. Just as the tall one swung around the corner, Devynn snapped her fist out, catching them hard in the side. They yelped and stumbled sideways. The second follower stopped at the sight and stood on the sidewalk, looking in.

_That's right,_ Devynn thought, _you better keep a distance._

The tall one pulled them self up to their feet and a low chuckle sounded from behind the high collar. Definitely a man. He started toward Devynn and threw his hand out toward her. She ducked out of the way and swung her left fist into his ribs. He grunted and as he started to move, Devynn threw her right fist straight up into his throat. The man spluttered, grasping his throat and dropping to his knees.

The shorter one gasped. "Zacky!" she cried and ran to the mans side.

Devynn stood up straight. "Victoria?" She looked down at the man on the ground as Victoria's hood fell away and she pulled down Zachary's so she could see his face, that didn't betray the pain he was in. "Zack! What the hell?"

Victoria stood slowly. She was no longer in the heels she had on before and only came up to Devynn's shoulder. "You! I'm so sick of you! People like you, walking around this city thinking you've got it all figured out. You're not the one that owns all the banks! You're not the one who makes all the decisions for this place."

Devynn cocked an eyebrow. "Neither are you."

Victoria snarled. "But my father does!"

"But you don't…and neither does Zack. So what's the deal?"

"I just don't like you!" Victoria spun around and reached into Zachary's jacket. Pulling out a gun, she whirled back to Devynn, firing blindly.

Devynn hollered and ducked low. Lucky for her, Victoria had horrid aim. That's probably why Zachary had the gun in the first place. Thinking as quickly as she could, Devynn scooped up a rock and flung it at Victoria. Not watching to see if it hit, Devynn ran out of the alley before Victoria could fire the pistol again. She tore down the sidewalk, Victoria and Zachary not far behind.

_Shit, shit, shit. What do I do? Where do I go?_ Devynn zigzagged in and out of alleys and side roads, doing her best to lose her pursuers. It was no use. They were hot on her trail with every turn she made. Devynn glanced over her shoulder and when she looked back, she nearly screamed. _Terrific._ She'd run in a complete circle and was now heading straight for Zack and Tory. As she skidded to a halt and Victoria raised the gun and pointed straight at Devynn's face, a bright orange light flashed.

Suddenly, all three of them were thrown into hard, hot ground. Looking around, Devynn saw a very strange looking motorcycle type vehicle heading straight for her. Not one. Two. She rolled out of the way as it whizzed by and the second one stopped before it passed her. Devynn spat out a mouthful of sand and looked up into the eeriest pair of eyes she'd ever seen. The color was a beautiful, shimmering turquoise, but it was the narrow slit of a pupil that made her breath catch in her throat.

The man had short, white, styled hair and an evil smirk. He laughed as he looked down at her. The other motorbike crept up on the other side of her and a man with the same cat-like eyes and white hair, that was long past his shoulders instead of short, watched her blankly.

A shuffle stole Devynn's attention. She looked behind her and saw Victoria standing there, hair messed and full of sand. She screamed in frustration and lifted the gun once again. Before Victoria could pull the trigger and finish what she'd started, the long haired man grabbed Devynn by the collar of her now ripped jacket and hauled her onto the back of his bike.

"Loz," said the long haired man, "take that weapon."

Without a word, short haired Loz let down the kick stand on his cycle and left it. In a flash he was behind Victoria and the gun was on the ground as he held her arms firmly behind her back. Devynn looked behind them and saw Zachary laying in the sand, unconscious.

Scared and confused, Devynn remained still and silent as she watched the white haired men. "What should we do with them, brother?" Loz asked.

"I'm not sure," said the long haired man in a tone that was eerily calm. "It's like they appeared out of thin air."

"Maybe Kadaj will be interested by this," Loz suggested.

Loz's "brother" chuckled and nodded. "Good thinking." He pulled some rope from a compartment on the bike and tossed it to Loz. "Bind her and take her on with you. Can you fit him on, too?" he asked as he nodded toward Zachary.

Loz nodded and began to tie Victoria's arms behind her. She screamed and struggled to get away, but she was no match for Loz's obvious strength. She continued to scream and cry "My father will hear of this!" she complained. Loz merely glared at her and made a sound of disgust from his throat. He ripped a piece of her sleeve from her coat and gagged her with it.

Devynn had to fight not to giggle at the sight. How she'd wanted to do that for years. "It's best not to fight it," the man who had pulled Devynn onto his bike warned Victoria. She stopped struggling and screaming but she was still crying. Tears flooded down her face and dampened the sand at her feet. The man turned and looked at Devynn over his shoulder. "Are you going to resist, too?"

Devynn looked up at his eyes and shook her head silently.

"Smart girl," he said. They waited as Loz loaded Zachary onto the back of the bike before they rode off. He looked like a dead deer, laying there like that.

As they sped down the roadless desert, Devynn stared off into the distance, studying the buildings on the dark horizon. They looked like buildings…but there was still something very strange about them. Where was she? How did she get here? Who were these men? Why was she afraid of them?

Devynn grabbed onto the long haired man's shoulders and held tight as they skidded to a halt. They'd come to a large house with a large grassy yard just off the desert. A dirt road made the driveway. It looked very sinister with no lawn decorations or trees.

The long haired man got off the bike then took Devynn's wrist and pulled her off, too. He led her inside the house and as he pulled her through the entrance, Devynn noticed the extreme difference in feel from the outside. Inside was decorated and homey. Definitely a place where people had nested. Not just some random house that a couple criminals were holing up in for a while.

That thought made Devynn relax ever so slightly. "Kadaj!" the man called out as he pushed Devynn into an arm chair. "Come here, you're going to want to see this!"

Devynn sat ramrod stiff and stared around the room as Victoria entered, her face stained with tears, and no longer gagged. Loz entered behind her with Zachary slung over his shoulder. He was flung onto the couch without effort or care.

A man came into the room from another doorway. He was shorter than the other two and looked younger, but his eyes were exactly the same and his shoulder length hair was the same color. That must be Kadaj. He frowned at the scene in the living room before he turned to the long haired man. "Yazoo, what is this?"

"We don't know," Yazoo said. "We were driving home and then there was a sudden orange flash of light and these three just appeared. Then that one," he pointed to Victoria, "tried to shoot this one," he pointed to Devynn.

"Look at their clothing," Kadaj said. "They don't look like they're from this world."

It was only then, that Devynn realized all three men were wearing strange leather suits. Either these guys were really into leather, or she really wasn't in her world anymore. She suddenly felt like Dorothy from _The Wizard of Oz_.

"Do they speak?" Kadaj asked.

Yazoo nodded. "The yellow haired one spoke of her father, but that's all we've really heard. And the brunette seemed to understand me when I spoke to her."

Kadaj sat on the end of the coffee table and looked at Devynn closely. "Can you understand what I'm saying?" Devynn nodded. "Do you speak this language?" Devynn nodded. "What is your name?"

Devynn swallowed and breathed in slowly. "Devynn."

Kadaj frowned. "That's an odd name. Never heard anything like that before."

Devynn looked up at him shyly. "No offence, mister, but I've never heard of a name like 'Kadaj' before, either."

Kadaj simply chuckled and turned to Victoria. "And do you have a name, as well?"

Victoria whimpered and made no effort to answer him. Kadaj frowned. "You don't understand me?"

"She understands," Devynn stated. "She's just too scared to answer. Her name is Victoria." Victoria snapped an angry glare to Devynn. "And the guy on the couch is Zachary."

Kadaj turned back to Devynn and smiled. "Very good. You already know I am Kadaj, and these are my brothers, Yazoo and Loz." Kadaj pointed to each brother in turn. "Our eldest brother is at work right now, but he'll be home soon. It's hard to get on his good side, so be on your best behaviour."

"What are you going to do to us?" Victoria stammered.

Kadaj stood and turned towards the doorway he entered through. "I'm not sure. But I know we could use someone to cook and clean around here."

As if reacting to the word 'cook', Devynn's stomach growled and she realized that she never did have dinner with Ariel. She wondered if she even had cell service here.

Kadaj turned and looked at Devynn with a slight smirk. "Hungry?" Devynn didn't answer but her stomach growled again. Kadaj turned to Yazoo. "Feed the guests. I'm going to call Sephiroth."

Yazoo nodded and exited through the doorway that Kadaj was heading towards. Before he left, Kadaj gave Devynn one last glance and smiled at her. If it weren't for the fact that she was currently being held captive by him and his brothers, Devynn might actually think he was friendly. Loz sat on the arm of the couch where he'd tossed Zachary. Victoria turned to him and pouted "Can you untie me now? I promise I won't run away."

Loz stared at her, not sure he believed her, but deciding that he was faster anyway, he snapped her closer by her wrists and untied the rope. Victoria rubbed her wrists and sat on the edge of the couch, nearly sitting on Zachary's legs.

Victoria glared at Devynn from across the room. Devynn frowned. "What? You're the one that was trying to kill me, don't make this out to be my fault."

Victoria scoffed and looked at Loz, "Why does Kadaj keep smiling at _her_?"

Loz propped his foot on the corner of the coffee table. "Kadaj likes people who cooperate. Your friend has been cooperative. So he likes her, more than you already."

Victoria made the same sound of disgust she always made when she felt she was being cheated. "She's not my friend."

Loz shrugged as he picked up the remote from the back of the couch and turned on the television set against the wall. "Either way, Kadaj likes her more."

The room was silent until Yazoo returned with a tray of sandwiches. He set it on the coffee table and passed one to Devynn. She took it and managed a quiet thank you. She stared at it, not sure if she should eat it or not.

Seeing her doubt, Yazoo laughed. "Don't worry. It's not poisoned." He paused. "At least yours isn't," he smirked as he passed one to Victoria, who took it then widened her eyes as she realized what he meant. Yazoo laughed loudly and took a sandwich for himself.

Loz leaned down and picked one up, too. He rolled his eyes at Victoria. "He's joking. He doesn't know anything about poison."

Victoria sat silent, staring at the sandwich and watching for Devynn to take the first bite. Yazoo moved toward Devynn and sat on the arm of the chair. He watched the television as he ate his food. Devynn glanced at the screen and absentmindedly wondered what they were watching. It wasn't anything she recognized.

The twist of pain in her stomach, brought Devynn's attention back to the sandwich in her hands. She wanted to lift the top piece of bread and see what was in it, but she didn't want to insult Yazoo. Angering these men was the last thing she wanted to do, so slowly, Devynn lifted the sandwich to her mouth and took a bite. At that same moment, Zachary jerked and opened his eyes.

He looked around and then smiled at Victoria. "Tory, baby," he said and she huffed and refused to look at him. Zachary sat up and looked around again. "Where are we?" he asked Devynn.

Devynn shrugged and continued to eat her sandwich. Loz looked down at Zachary. "Outskirts of Midgar. Be quiet and eat your sandwich."

Zachary looked at the sandwich on the tray and picked it up. Without questioning it or showing the slightest bit of suspicion, he ate it and stared mindlessly at the television set. There was no doubting that this man was simple.

As Devynn ate, she replayed the days events. Work was typical. But why didn't Ariel show up? That wasn't like her. Why had Victoria wanted to kill her so badly? Why was Zachary willing to help? Well that one wasn't a huge mystery. Zachary was a tool and did whatever Victoria told him to do, whether he wanted to or not.

Thinking more and more, Devynn realized that, even though she was afraid of these men, none of them had ever even moved to harm her. Yazoo had even removed her from the line of a bullet. Kadaj had Yazoo feed her and he didn't have to. He could have let her go hungry. Loz had bound and gagged Victoria, but that was her own fault.

Kadaj strode into the living room and looked over at Zachary. "Finally awake, are we?" Zachary laughed through a mouthful of food and Kadaj looked at him in disgust. "No table manners, I see. That's too bad."

Zachary laughed again. "Hey, this sandwich is great, but you got any beer?"

Kadaj, Loz, Yazoo and Victoria all gaped at Zachary in disbelief. "You actually have the nerve to ask for a beer from the people holding you captive?"

Zachary looked confused but Devynn sighed. "I don't make a habit of defending him, but he probably doesn't realized that he's been 'kidnapped'. He was unconscious when that happened."

Yazoo looked down from his perch and nodded. "That actually makes sense."

Zachary looked around the room. "Kidnapped? Really? Not many kidnappers eat and watch television with their victims."

Yazoo lifted an eyebrow. "That makes sense, too."

Devynn chuckled lightly. "Then again, it's not like you really kidnapped us. You just kind of bumped into us in a desert and took us home." The room fell silent as everyone realized how much truth was actually behind that statement. Even though Victoria resisted, Devynn and Zachary were not technically kidnapped. Devynn looked from Loz to Yazoo. "Thanks, I guess."

Kadaj howled with laughter. "You may be speaking too soon. I came in here to tell Loz and Yazoo to lock you three in the basement when you're done eating."

"…oh."

Devynn lay still as she stared at the ceiling. Locked in the basement. At least it wasn't a cold, dank room with concrete floors. Although there may be concrete underneath, the floors were covered in a thick beige carpet. There was a washroom to the left of the stairs that had towels and hot water. A small room to the right had a bed, where Victoria had demanded she and Zachary sleep, and down the short hallway was a desk and couch with some bookshelves where Devynn was. Almost like a small office.

Before they were taken to the basement, Victoria had told Zachary everything that had happened and then proceeded to be angry with him for 'letting' Loz tie her up. Devynn pulled the blanket up under her chin and closed her eyes, trying to sleep.

* * *

><p>- AN: So this is the start of a new fanfiction since I haven't written anything in a while. Review and let me know what you think. I'm open to suggestions. Hope to hear from you soon!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

* * *

><p>Devynn stared at the clock on the wall. Although it had strange symbols where the numbers should be, it seemed to work like every other clock she'd ever seen. Maybe it was just a unique design. She hadn't gotten much sleep at all. She spent most of the night thinking about who these men were, where she was, and what exactly had taken place the previous evening.<p>

About an hour after the sun began to peek in through the narrow window that lay close to the ceiling; Devynn heard the click of the door at the top of the stairs. The stairs creaked and Devynn watched the corner that turned into the hallway. Quietly, someone crept into the room, as if being careful in case she was still asleep.

Devynn squinted through the glare of the single ray that shone into the room. As her eyes adjusted, she was able to make out the face of Kadaj. She sat up, as he came close. When he saw that she was awake, his shoulders seemed to slouch into a more relaxed position. "Good morning," he greeted her.

"Depending on who you are," she replied.

Kadaj nodded as if he understood and moved on to the real reason he was here. "Can you cook?" he asked, almost sheepishly.

"I can," Devynn replied, "but I get the feeling that things here are a lot different from what I'm familiar with."

"Oh," Kadaj said. "Well how about you come up to the kitchen and you can look around and see how different it is…and maybe you can make some breakfast?"

Devynn almost smiled as she tossed the blanket off her legs and stood up. She straightened her shirt and followed Kadaj up the stairs, down the hallway and into a large, beautiful kitchen. She took a moment to glance around and was oddly comforted by how similar everything was to home.

A long 'L' shaped counter lined the wall from the corner, with a sink under that window, and turned down a shorter wall, stopping at the fridge. An island with a built in stove sat in the middle of the room. Off to the side was a large white table with six chairs that were padded with white cushion and fabric.

Sitting at the table was a man reading a newspaper. He lowered the paper as Devynn and Kadaj entered the room. He had the same eerie eyes and white hair. His hair, however, was longer than even Yazoo's as it fell to his waist. He was noticeably taller, even sitting down, and looked older, angrier and scarier. He watched her closely as Kadaj led her over and they stopped at the end of the table.

"This is her?" the tall man asked Kadaj, never taking his eyes off Devynn. Kadaj nodded.

"You must be the eldest brother," Devynn noted, trying not to let her fear get to her.

The man nodded slowly. "Yes. I am Sephiroth. Would you be Devynn or Victoria?"

Obviously Kadaj had told Sephiroth about them on the phone, and who knows what Yazoo and Loz told him after they'd locked her in the basement. Nonetheless, Devynn cooperated. "I'm Devynn."

Sephiroth eyed her closely. "I've heard a lot about you, already, Devynn. Luckily, it's all good. Unlike Victoria. She sounds like she's going to be more trouble than she's worth." Devynn laughed, involuntarily. Sephiroth quirked an eyebrow as Kadaj watched them silently. "Is something funny?"

Devynn straightened. "It's just that," she paused and glanced at Kadaj who seemed uncertain about how he should react, "that's what I said the first time I met Victoria, too."

To her surprise, and relief, Sephiroth laughed. His laugh was deep and slow, and although it should be frightening, there was something about it that put Devynn at ease. "So, will you be cooking for us this morning?"

Kadaj replied first. "She's going to have a look at the appliances and food and make sure she can actually use it first. We don't know how different their world is from ours."

That was all the confirmation Devynn needed. She really wasn't in Kansas anymore. An order of authority was apparent in this household. The brothers seemed to be ranked from highest to lowest as Sephiroth, Kadaj, Yazoo and then Loz. It seemed odd that Kadaj would be second in command as he certainly seemed to be the youngest. Perhaps they weren't ranked by age.

Sephiroth lifted the newspaper again and Kadaj opened the pantry on the opposing side of the island. Devynn peered inside and frowned. "Is it that different?" Kadaj asked, reading her expression.

"No," Devynn said. "It's actually very much the same. I wasn't expecting that."

"So you can make breakfast?"

Devynn turned and smiled at Kadaj. "Do you have any eggs?" Kadaj pointed to the fridge and sat down across from Sephiroth as he watched her dig around, pulling out things like cheese and tomatoes and scallions. Poking around, Devynn spotted a package of meat that resembled ham, so she pulled that out, too.

After finding a sharp knife and a couple of pans, Devynn stood at the counter chopping up the vegetables, grating the cheese, slicing the ham and beating all twelve eggs. Once the pans were hot, she poured the eggs equally into each pan. She sprinkled the ham and veggies into the eggs and let it cook. She pulled some oranges out of the fridge and sliced them up.

Kadaj watched curiously and Sephiroth turned the page of his newspaper. Devynn started popping in some bread to make toast and flipped the half cooked egg mixtures so the other side would cook as well. She sprinkled some cheese on top and let it melt. The sliced oranges were arranged in a decorative circle on a plate and the buttered toast was stacked carefully on another.

Loz and Yazoo wandered into the kitchen in shorts and flannel pants, respectively. Their noses were in the air as they sniffed at the aroma that filled the kitchen. They each took a seat at the table and Sephiroth lowered the newspaper and set it to the side. He glanced over at Devynn as she slid the round egg pizza things out of the pans, onto plates and sliced them into triangular pieces. He looked back at Kadaj who still watched her cook. Sephiroth cleared his throat. "Set the table."

"Huh?" Kadaj mumbled as he shifted his gaze to his eldest brother and returned from his hypnotized state.

"Set the table," Sephiroth repeated. He looked over at Yazoo and Loz. "Mugs and coffee." The three left the table and did as they were told without question. Devynn noticed how the three younger brothers sat on the opposite side of the table from Sephiroth.

Once the table was set and the coffee was poured, Devynn placed the oranges, toast and eggs on the table in front of the four white haired men. Loz sniffed at the food. "It smells so good."

"It does," Yazoo agreed.

Kadaj smiled widely and began filling his plate. He paused as he noticed Devynn watching them. "Why are you grinning like that?" he asked.

When all eyes turned to her, Devynn felt the heat in her face that let her know she was blushing. "I just really like cooking. It's nice to see people enjoying it, that's all."

The answered seemed to be acceptable as six eyes left her and returned to the food. Two, however, remained focused on her. She looked to meet Sephiroth's gaze, wondering if she'd done something wrong. Sephiroth straightened and stood up. Devynn stiffened. Instead of moving towards her, Sephiroth passed by her. She turned to see him pull a plate from the cupboard and more silverware from the drawer. He went back to the table and placed it down next to where his plate was.

Sephiroth sat down and passed a glare to Kadaj, quickly, before looking at Devynn again. He motioned to the seat next to him. "Please, join us, Devynn. You worked hard to make this meal for us; it seems silly that you shouldn't be eating it."

Devynn blushed again and quietly obeyed as Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo made noises of agreement. Devynn sat next to Sephiroth who passed her the plate of eggs. "Thank you," she said shyly.

"You're welcome." Sephiroth said as he bit into some toast. "So, what do you call this dish?" he asked, pointing to the eggs.

Devynn placed an orange slice on her plate. "Egg pizza. It's basically an omelet…just flat and not folded."

Sephiroth looked at her, the slightest hint of a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. He picked up the carafe from in front of him. "Coffee?" he offered.

"Please."

The five ate in silence and when everyone was finished, Devynn excused herself as politely as she could and began to clean up. A thump sounded from downstairs just before Zachary and Victoria emerged from the basement and made their way to the kitchen. Their hair was matted and messy, their eyes groggy and puffy.

Victoria stopped as she noticed Sephiroth. She stiffened so much that even her blinks were carefully managed. Victoria was afraid, of that there was no doubt. Sephiroth looked the pair up and down. "So nice of you to join us. I trust you slept well."

Zachary smirked, "Well if you really want to get into details, th-"

"I don't." Sephiroth cut him off. He rose from his seat, as his brothers watched him carefully. Something about the way he moved made Devynn think that he was already mad at them. Deciding to stay out of it, she continued to put dishes into the sink.

Victoria swallowed then took a deep breath and planted herself firmly to the floor. "Listen here, buster," she started, but the glare she received in response was enough to stop her.

"You are in my house. You will show respect. You will follow the rules."

"And if we don't want to be in your house?" Victoria challenged.

"Then I'm sure I can find a deep river that will be more to your liking." Victoria and Zachary remained silent. "Breakfast is on the table. Clean up the kitchen when you've finished eating."

Victoria spluttered. "B-b-but,"

Sephiroth ignored her and turned to Devynn. "Devynn, you've done enough for this morning. Thank you for the meal."

Devynn nodded, unable to manage any real words. It seemed to her that these actions weren't normal for Sephiroth, simply by the way he carried himself and the expressions on his siblings' faces. But at the same time it seemed understandable. He was setting the example for his brothers in how to take charge and show authority and at the same time he was showing Victoria, Zachary and Devynn that he wasn't going to put up with attitude.

Sephiroth strode smoothly from the kitchen. Watching down the hall, Devynn saw him turn just before he reached the front door and climb up the staircase that lead to the floor above them. Once he was gone, she picked up a few more dishes and set them in the sink as Victoria and Zachary sat at the table. The younger brothers stood and as Kadaj and Loz left in the same direction as Sephiroth, Yazoo gave Devynn a droll stare. "He told you not to clean anymore right now. I suggest you do as he says lest he get upset."

Devynn removed her hand from the tap that she was about to turn on. She glanced out the window before she moved away from the sink. On the other side she briefly spotted a large swimming pool set into a floor of concrete. Off to one side, there was a picnic table and an outdoor barbeque. She smiled softly to herself then slowly approached Yazoo. When he eyed her curiously, she spoke in a low tone, so Victoria and Zachary wouldn't hear her over the stuffing of their faces. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Yazoo glanced back at the table then to the hallway. "Sephiroth is going to be going to work soon. I'll ask him what he wants to happen."

Devynn sighed inwardly and nodded "I'll wait downstairs," she said as she made her way back to the stairs that descended into the basement. She passed the room that Zack and Victoria had slept in last night and noted the messy bed. The sheets were nearly torn off, the blankets were piled in a mass on the floor and the pillows were scattered everywhere. _Damned if I'm cleaning up after them_, Devynn thought. She made her way back to the small office where she'd slept and gathered the blanket from the end of the couch. She folded it and set it neatly on the cushion.

Devynn moved from the couch over to the wall that had many books resting on the shelves that were set into the wall. She eyed the spines of the books, reading the titles. None of the stories or authors were familiar to her. One book stood out over all the others and as she ran her thumb over the title, a sound behind her made her jump. She spun around and saw Yazoo standing there holding a basket.

"Sorry," he chuckled, setting the basket down. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Devynn stuttered for a moment then pointed at the bookshelf. "I was just looking."

"You can read them if you want," Yazoo said, lifting an eyebrow. "Anyway, I talked to Sephiroth and he said you can do the laundry. After that, you can pretty much do what you want until supper time; as long as you stay in the house, of course."

Devynn bent down and picked up the basket of laundry. "Is this all of it?"

Yazoo nodded. "Kadaj just did a load earlier this week, so that's all for now. The laundry room is this way," he said as he lead her just past the bathroom and opened the white, wooden door and flicked on a light.

Devynn entered the room. There was no carpet here and the concrete was cold on her bare feet. She shivered lightly and set the basket of clothes down next to the washing machine. Yazoo left without a word as she turned on the water and began emptying the basket. She noticed that it was all jeans and short sleeved shirts with a few white, button-down tops at the bottom of the basket. She'd have to do a separate load, later, for those shirts.

Once the first load of laundry was going, Devynn made her way back up the stairs and to the kitchen where she saw Victoria and Zachary cleaning up from breakfast. Zachary was washing the dishes, while Victoria dried them in a half-assed, indifferent, manner. Once she spotted, Devynn, her glare turned to be both fiery and ice cold at the same time. Ignoring her, Devynn switched her gaze to the tall blond man who was cleaning a pan. "Where are the guys?" Devynn asked in small whisper. When nobody replied, Devynn merely shrugged and padded over to the archway that lead out of the kitchen. She peered around the corner and spotted Kadaj and Loz sitting on the couch watching the television.

Kadaj glanced over at her momentarily then looked back at the TV. "Is the laundry done?" he asked.

"No. The first load is in the washer now."

Kadaj nodded then motioned toward the armchair that she sat in the night before. "You can watch TV with us while you wait," he offered.

Devynn nodded silently and sat in the suggested chair. She gazed at the television, although she spent most of the time looking through it. Kadaj and Loz spent the next half hour enthusiastically emerged in a game show. They were cheering and laughing and screaming out answers at the screen. Well, Kadaj was screaming out answers, anyway. Whenever Loz tried to answer a question, he got it wrong and Kadaj laughed at him.

Eventually, Devynn became so zoned out that she slipped into an old habit. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She flipped it open to find one message in her inbox. She scrolled to it and opened it. It was sent from Ariel last night It must have been sometime between when Devynn left the club and when she got sucked out of her world. _Hey. Sorry I didn't show. That guy Jared asked me out. Hope you understand._ Devynn rolled her eyes. _Great_, she thought to herself. _My best friend ditched me on my birthday for a piece of meat. I almost got shot because the girl was horny._

Suddenly, Devynn became aware of someone watching her. She looked up and found Victoria standing in the doorway. When Victoria realized that Devynn had her cell phone, she gasped and pointed a fake nail. "Kadaj, Devynn's got a cell phone!"

Devynn's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't sure how Kadaj or Loz would react to her possibly contacting people but when she looked over at the youngest brother, he was staring at Victoria, looking very bored. "So?"

"So, aren't you worried she'll call the cops or something?"

Kadaj laughed. "There's no policing system here. The only cops we have are the ones that freelance."

Victoria scoffed, "Oh and I suppose slavery is legal, too?"

Kadaj tilted his head to the side. "In a sense. But they still have human rights."

Devynn let out an exasperated sigh. "If it makes you feel any better, Vic, I don't even have service here."

Victoria narrowed her ice blue eyes, challenging Devynn. "Then why bother taking it out?"

"Well, honestly, I didn't know that I had no service until I took it out, but the reason I had it was because I was checking to see if Ariel messaged me."

"And did she?"

"Yes. She did. Last night. Sometime between when I left the club and when you tried to kill me."

Victoria huffed, her cheeks becoming mottled with anger. She turned on her heel and stomped off.

Devynn rolled her eyes again and bit back a yawn. "She's a piece of work, isn't she?" Kadaj said, looking back to the TV. Devynn remained silent, assuming such an obvious question was meant to be rhetorical. Kadaj waited a moment and then looked at her. "What did your friend message you about?"

Devynn shrugged. "Just telling me why she stood me up on my birthday."

"Oh," Kadaj said. "When was your birthday?"

"Yesterday."

Kadaj and Loz looked at each other. "Now I feel kind of bad." In a short second Loz's face twisted into a look of pain. Kadaj scowled. "Oh come on, don't start crying."

"I'm not crying," Loz whined through gritted teeth.

Devynn stood up quickly and said she was going to check on the laundry. She fled from the room, biting back her laughter at the sight that just made her entire day worth getting up for.

Down in the laundry room, Devynn moved the washed clothes to the dryer and started it before dropping the white, button-down shirts into the washing machine. She absent mindedly wondered which of the brothers they belonged to, and when considering that Sephiroth seemed to be the sophisticated and professional one, she was willing to bet they were his.

Out of the corner of her eye, a flash of yellow caught Devynn's attention. She turned slightly to find Victoria glaring at her once again. Devynn cocked an eyebrow, "You couldn't kill me with a gun, what makes you think you can kill me with a look?"

Victoria's gaze hardened even more. "You better watch it, Devvy. You're going to get it. You won't know when and you won't know where, but you're going to get it."

In a second, Devynn's emerald green eyes reflected sarcasm, confusion, disbelief and curiosity all at the same time. Instead of being afraid, Devynn wondered exactly what Victoria had planned. Knowing her, it wouldn't be a very well thought out plan, and would probably backfire; especially if she intended to execute her assassination strategy in the near future. Sephiroth already made it clear that he wasn't going to let any shenanigans disrupt the peace in his house.

Victoria stomped out of the laundry room and Devynn waited until she heard the slam of Victoria's "bedroom" door before she resumed tending to the laundry. She chuckled and closed the lid to the washer before making her way back upstairs to wait for dinner time to arrive.

* * *

><p>AN: Thank you to those of you that have read/faved/reviewed. I hope you enjoyed this Chapter and I've already got Chapter 3 bubbling away. I'm actually really excited about it. And you should be, too. ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

* * *

><p>It was late afternoon and Devynn had just finished ironing and folding the laundry and placing it in the basket. She trudged up the stairs, her eyelids heavy as the lack of sleep caught up with her. She was still pondering Victoria's last words to her and trying to figure out what the blonde woman might have planned. With so little access to, well, anything, Devynn really couldn't predict any of Victoria's tricks. What amount of damage could she <em>really<em> do?

Devynn rounded the corner into the living room where the three younger brothers and Zachary sat, entranced by the television set. Devynn approached the couch, stopping at the closest end where Loz sat. She cleared her throat to catch his attention and when he looked up at her with a mindless stare, she nodded at the basket in her hands. "Where should I put these?"

Loz slowly slid his gaze to the folded laundry then back to the game show. He shrugged ever so slightly and let out a grunt that sounded something like, "Iuhoh."

A small grin played at Devynn's lips as an oblivious charm wrapped its arms around her. There was something about Loz that one couldn't help but like. He reminded Devynn of a high school boy. He was simple, but in a different way from Zachary. Zachary was simple in a way that he was easy to use and manipulate, whereas Loz was easy to understand. He didn't pretend to care when he really didn't; a trait that Devynn could appreciate.

Kadaj leaned forward in his seat so that he could see around Loz and Yazoo. "Is that all of them?" he asked. When Devynn confirmed, he pointed in the direction of the stairwell. "Just leave them by the steps. One of us will take it up next time we go."

Without a word, Devynn headed to the stairs and set the basket down as Kadaj had instructed. As she did, the door behind her opened. She straightened and turned slightly to see Sephiroth enter the house. The top button of his shirt was popped open and his tie was loosened. Over his shirt he wore a long leather coat that really didn't seem to match.

Sephiroth shifted the large paper sack to balance it in one arm as he closed the door softly. Devynn smiled meekly and greeted him, "Good afternoon."

"And to you," he replied. He looked behind her and eyed the basket. "Washed, dried, ironed and folded. Thank you. Normally I have to do that myself. Everyone else just stares thoughtlessly at the TV all day."

Devynn offered an understanding smile, "Kind of like what they are doing now."

Sephiroth chuckled. "They are obsessed with that game show." He started down the hall toward the kitchen and motioned for her to follow. When they reached the kitchen, Sephiroth set the paper sack on the island and began to unpack grocery items from it. He set out a can of store bought spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, onions, green and red peppers, two boxes of spaghetti noodles and some cheese and garlic bread that came from the bakery and just needed to be heated in the oven until the cheese melted.

Devynn looked at all the items and then lifted her tired eyes to watch him. "I'm guessing you want spaghetti tonight?"

A sharp nod answered her in the affirmative. "I took some ground beef out of the freezer this morning. Do you know how to make meatballs?" Sephiroth looked up to catch Devynn's soft nod and by the way her jaw was tensed up and twitching, he could tell that she was engaged in an epic battle with a yawn. He noted the slight glaze over her eyes as she walked around him and got a cutting board and knife from the draining rack where Victoria had left all the dishes from that morning.

Devynn looked up as Sephiroth cleared his throat softly then told her he was going upstairs to change. She watched him stop by the door and hang up his coat before he disappeared out of sight. She dropped her gaze again and picked up the bag with the peppers in it. Instead of fighting to untie it, she simply tore a hole in the side and pulled out the contents and set them next to the cutting board. She opened the wrapped tray of mushrooms and washed them in the sink before placing those next to the peppers as well as the onions.

As she cut up the various vegetables, Devynn's thoughts drifted into a silent, peaceful darkness. The only things she was aware of were the weird crunching sound that was made by the sharp knife slicing through vegetables and the soft _thunk _as it made contact with the cutting board underneath. It was only when she turned to get a large frying pan and walked into something solid that she noticed Sephiroth had returned in a pair of dark jeans and a grey long-sleeved shirt and was putting away the dishes that Victoria left out.

Devynn's breath caught in her throat and she looked up, sheepishly. She couldn't tell from Sephiroth's expression whether he was annoyed or amused. She forced a weak smile and offered an apology, to which he simply nodded and resumed his task. She moved around his large figure and pulled the large pan from the cupboard under the counter. Scooping all the vegetables into it, she placed a lid on top and set it aside. She dropped the ground beef into a bowl with eggs and cracker crumbs as she began to make some meatballs.

Sephiroth made a fresh pot of coffee and leaned against the counter as he waited for it to finish brewing. He watched Devynn's strange robotic movements as she cooked. Unsure of whether or not to converse with the small woman or to just remain silent, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other and crossed his arms. "So," he said slowly, "did you sleep okay last night?"

Devynn paused and glanced over her shoulder at the man. She wasn't sure how she should respond to that. She didn't want to lie and say she had, when she hadn't slept at all, but she didn't want to get on his bad side by complaining either. She continued her cooking, mulling over an answer. She must have taken longer than she thought to answer because, from behind her where Sephiroth stood, came an annoyed sigh.

Growing slightly nervous, Devynn straightened and turned just enough to meet his gaze honestly. "I didn't sleep, sir." She watched silently as he eyed her without expression.

"I see," he finally replied. "Why not?"

_Oh, crap_, she thought to herself, _this sucks._ Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Devynn shrugged in an attempt to seem nonchalant, "Just got caught up thinking, I suppose." When Sephiroth turned to pour a cup of freshly brewed coffee instead of replying, Devynn went back to her cooking. She finished rolling the ground beef into small spheres and placing them in a deep baking pan and as she wiped her hands on some paper towel, Sephiroth placed a mug next to her that was full of steaming coffee.

"This should get you through dinner," he said. "You should go sleep after you eat."

Looking up at him, Devynn was about to thank him when Victoria sauntered into the kitchen looking her normal high and mighty self. She pursed her lips at Devynn and looked down her nose. "Where's Zachary?" She demanded without so much as acknowledging the head of the household.

Devynn frowned ever so slightly. "He's in the living room with the guys."

As Victoria started to leave, Sephiroth stopped her. "You left the dishes on the counter after you dried them, this morning. I trust that won't happen again."

Victoria turned and eyed him in a way that made it obvious that she didn't think much of him but was actually trying not to piss him off. "Sorry," she said blankly and continued to the living room.

As Devynn picked up the baking pan and turned to put it in the oven, Sephiroth took it from her hands. "I'll get it," he said, solidly. "You start on the sauce."

Obeying, Devynn picked up the pan she had set aside earlier and set it on a burner which she then turned on. She pulled out the olive oil from underneath the counter top and drizzled a little bit in the pan. She left the pan to heat and began to clean up the mess she'd made from the meatballs.

Yazoo entered the kitchen and stood on the opposite side of the island. He looked up at his older brother with an expression that was less than pleased. Sephiroth passed him a questioning glance and Yazoo pouted. "That other girl is so annoying. Why does she have to talk over the television when no one is even listening to her?"

Without so much as even looking up, Devynn answered with "She just likes the sound of her own voice. You should have left her gagged." Yazoo hesitated for a moment then laughed then went to the fridge to get himself a glass of soda. Devynn pulled a wooden spoon out of a drawer and used it to push around the vegetables in the pan. Her thoughts drifted back to the peaceful darkness as Yazoo and Sephiroth engaged in idle chatter.

Before long, the men were sitting at the table talking and Devynn was grating cheese onto a plate. The pasta had been drained, the meatballs had been paired with the thick sauce and the garlic bread was heating in the oven. Kadaj and Loz weaved in and out and around each other as well as Devynn as they set the table and snuck bits of cheese and whiffs of the sauce.

When the four brothers were seated, Devynn poured the sauce and meatballs over the pasta and mixed it all together. She moved to the table and scooped a pile of spaghetti onto everyone's plate and set out the garlic bread.

Devynn sat down next to Sephiroth and glanced over at the two empty seats that were meant for Victoria and Zachary. She looked across the table at Loz, Yazoo and Kadaj who ate in silence, ignoring the absence of the others. Looking up at Sephiroth who was glaring at the empty she seats, she whispered softly, "Should I go get them?"

Without looking at her, Sephiroth shook his head and stood up. "No, I'll go get them."

Devynn quietly picked up her fork and began eating as Sephiroth left. She listened carefully for any signs of him talking but she couldn't hear anything after he went down the stairs and into the basement.

Sephiroth returned quickly and sat back in his place to eat. Within a couple minutes, Victoria and Zachary entered the kitchen. Their hair was messy again and while Zachary sported a cocky glint in his eyes, Victoria looked flushed and embarrassed. Devynn mentally rolled her eyes at them and returned her gaze to her plate where she kept it until she was finished eating.

She sat quietly, nibbling on a piece of garlic bread while the brothers each went for seconds. From the corner of her eye, Devynn could feel Victoria's hatred as she passed angry glares to both her and Sephiroth. Zachary ate sloppily and was constantly talking to Kadaj and Loz about the TV show they had watched earlier, while the two brothers completely ignored Zachary's annoying banter.

When everyone had finished eating, Devynn asked where the plastic storage containers were. Yazoo dug some out for her and as she pulled the lids off the containers, Sephiroth instructed Victoria and Zachary to clean up the kitchen. Naturally, Victoria whined and protested. "She's the one who made the mess, why do we have to clean it up?"

"Because, compared to her, you two have done squat since you got here. This isn't a free ride and until you figure out how to get back home, you have to earn your keep. Otherwise, I might just sell you, and believe me, there are people more cruel than me out there who wouldn't even allow you to sleep in a bed." Sephiroth picked up his plate and set it in the sink.

Devynn could only see the side of his face, but he was clearly annoyed. Victoria huffed, but the fear in her eyes that she failed at hiding pushed her to obey. She dropped her plate in the sink as Zachary gathered the rest of the dishes from the table. Victoria openly scowled at Devynn, and as Devynn was about to pick up the pot to dump the leftovers into a container, Victoria snatched the pot away and in one swift movement she flung the contents towards Devynn.

With a quick gasp, Devynn attempted to dodge the flying spaghetti, but merely backed into the counter. Warm sauce dripped from her hair as the noodles clung to her skin and clothes. Zachary roared with laughter at the sight and, before she could gain control of herself, Devynn balled her hand into a fist and launched it at Victoria's over-tanned face.

Before she made contact, a large, strong hand closed around her wrist, stopping her. Afraid of whom it was, Devynn's eyes followed the hand, up the arm to the shoulder and to the face. She was right; it was Sephiroth, however, he wasn't looking at her. He was staring daggers into Victoria. His voice was low, sharp and menacing as he growled, "Get her out of here. Take her down there and lock the door."

Loz and Yazoo quickly seized Victoria and hauled her off to the basement. When she was gone, Sephiroth loosened his grip on her wrist. He looked down at her, and although he still looked extremely pissed, his voice was calmer when he spoke. "Are you alright?"

Devynn nodded. "Very sticky, but I'm fine." Zachary's laughter began to rumble again until Sephiroth shot him a "shut it, or else" look.

"Come with me," Sephiroth instructed and he led her out of the kitchen and up the stairs, leaving Zachary to clean the mess.

Devynn followed Sephiroth down another narrow hallway, passing two brown, wooden doors and stopping at a third. He pushed the door open and led her inside. She gazed around the room. It was a decent size. Decorated, but tastefully and not overdone. The walls were an off-white color and the trim by the ceiling and the hardwood floor were a dark blue that matched the comforter on the large bed.

There were two white arm chairs by the window, next to a small table where a laptop sat, closed, a large birch dresser in the corner against the wall opposite the bed and on the same wall was another door which led to a dark room. Sephiroth pulled her over to that room and flicked on the light to reveal a private bathroom.

He reached into the tub and turned on the water then turned to her. "When you get in, let me know and I'll take your clothes to be washed. The towels are under the sink." When Devynn hesitated, Sephiroth cocked his head and frowned. "What's wrong?"

Clearing her throat softly, Devynn cast him a shy glance. "I don't have any other clothes to put on."

Sephiroth let that realization roll around in his brain for a minute. "I'll get Kadaj to loan you something until your clothes are clean."

Accepting that, Devynn nodded and undressed when Sephiroth left and closed the door. She stepped into the tub, closed the curtains and called to Sephiroth to let him know he could come in before she pulled the shower switch.

As the warm water slid over Devynn's skin, she couldn't help but let out a happy sigh. The temperature and pressure was delightful as it wrapped her in a rich cloud of steam, relaxing her muscles and her mind simultaneously. She could have stayed in there forever, but she knew Sephiroth would be waiting.

Once she had cleaned all the sauce from her body and hair, Devynn turned off the water and quickly tried off before wrapping a towel around herself and opened the bathroom door. Her hair was still wet and dripped down her back only to be soaked up by the thick towel.

As expected, Sephiroth was waiting. He was sitting in one of the armchairs with the laptop open in his lap. He glanced up at her then looked back down quickly, almost as if he was trying to avoid looking at her. "There are some clothes on the bed," he said quietly.

Devynn moved quietly towards the unmade bed. As she reached for the clothes, she tried to ignore the way the comforter looked fluffy and warm and the way the pillows looked soft, yet supportive. Swallowing the yearning for a comfy bed, Devynn turned quickly and strode back to the bathroom where she changed into Kadaj's clothes.

The sweatpants were far too long and she had to roll the elastic waistband down so that she could actually walk in them. The t-shirt was far too big and Devynn gathered the material at the bottom and tied it in a knot, then tucked it under so it was out of sight – a trick she learned in gym class. She towel dried her hair and attempted to comb it with her fingers to make it look a little less…horrid.

When she'd finally given up fighting with her hair, Devynn hung the towel on the rack and left the bathroom. She sat in the empty chair and folded her hands in her lap. She let the calmness drift over her and basked in the silence that was only interrupted by Sephiroth's occasional typing.

Closing his search engine, Sephiroth glanced up at Devynn, and then did a quick double take as he saw her head hanging loosely. Her breathing was slow and steady and her eyes were closed. "Devynn," he spoke her name quietly. When she didn't respond, he let the tiniest of smiles creep onto his face. Devynn had fallen fast asleep, sitting up in the chair. Her hair was still damp and slightly on the messy side.

Setting his laptop on the table, he rose to his feet and stood next to the sleeping Devynn. He braced one arm behind her back and wrapped the other behind her knees and lifted her off the chair with ease. She was very light, and as he carefully laid her on the bed, he noticed a scar peeking out from under the bottom of the shirt she was wearing. Ignoring his curiosity, Sephiroth pulled the comforter up over her and left the room silently.

* * *

><p>AN: Here it is. Chapter 3! Sorry it took so long, but hopefully it was worth it! :)


End file.
